


Side Effects

by lovelebinnie (Natreality)



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Anxiety, Bang Chan-centric, Demon Hunter Kim Seungmin, Demonic Possession, Insomnia, Like really minor, M/M, Making Out, Minor Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Non-Graphic Violence, Sexual Harassment briefly mentioned, Sexual Tension, Swearing, Tarot, Violent Thoughts, Witch Kim Woojin, Witch Lee Felix, Witch Lee Minho | Lee Know, Witch Yang Jeongin | I.N
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 21:14:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19980598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natreality/pseuds/lovelebinnie
Summary: Chan is suffering from insomnia and Jisung suggests for Chan to seek help from Jisung's boyfriend's witchy housemate, Woojin. But things get worse rather than better when the sleeping potion Woojin gives Chan causes adverse side effects. There seems to be more to Chan's insomnia than any of them could have ever imagined...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 
> 
> Special thanks to Amara, [Erin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanaLatte/pseuds/NanaLatte), and Taylor who all acted as beta readers and supporters as I wrote this. I've never really finished a story this long before and I'm so stoked they stuck with me through this! 
> 
> Disclaimer #1: I love stray kids and I think ships can be really fun, but please remember the boys are people too so please be respectful towards them and other stays. Thank you! 
> 
> Disclaimer #2: Also this work contains a lot of elements of "witchcraft" that are actually used in various religions and spiritual practices. What I depict may not be 100% accurate and by no means do I consider myself an expert on them. 
> 
> Thank you and I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Follow me on Twitter at [lovelebinnie](https://twitter.com/lovelebinnie)

Chan looked down at the address on his phone one more time before looking up at the house in front of him. It was cute, Chan supposed. A narrow two-story Victorian-inspired house complete with sashed windows, a porch decked out with a rocking chair, and a white picket fence bordering the small property. The structure was tucked away in an alley, surrounded by low-rise apartment buildings. Such a house was an odd sight in a big city, but the weirdest part that caused Chan to hesitate was that apparently students were living there.

Chan recalled the small apartment he was crammed in with his two best friends and their recording equipment. They could barely afford rent for their own place, he wondered how just a few students could afford a whole-ass house.

“It’s magic.” Jisung probably would have given as an answer, because after finding out his new ‘friend,’ Minho, lived with people that were, apparently, magical, Jisung hadn’t stopped wailing about the occult. Chan hadn’t yet met Minho and based on the ridiculous things Jisung had said about him, Chan was pretty sure the boy was made up.

“I’m telling you, Chan. Minho lives with witches. That house is like their coven headquarters.” Jisung had explained during an intervention he and Changbin had held for Chan after the oldest had fallen asleep while driving. Chan was on a street alone when it happened, so luckily nothing bad had happened, but it still terrified his two friends enough to sit him down and try to help.

Chan had snorted at that. “Jisung, are you for real?”

Jisung nodded, a serious set to his jaw. “Hyung, I’m serious. I’ve been there.”

This mildly alarmed Chan, who hasn’t remembered Jisung telling him he had ever gone over to this stranger’s house. “What, Jisung—”

“—Yeah, Minho had introduced me to one of his housemates and he’s a whiz at making potions and spells, like he gave me this weird looking cup full of bright pink liquid and it turned my hair blond—”

Changbin patted Jisung’s hair and said, “—Oh, I just thought you were having, like, a mid-life crisis and decided to bleach your hair,” at the same time as Chan yelled, “—DO YOU ACCEPT WEIRD DRINKS FROM STRANGERS ALL THE TIME OR WAS THAT JUST A SPECIAL OCCASION?”

Jisung sat up from the couch and grabbed Chan’s shoulders. “Dude, if you saw this guy, you’d understand. His face, man, is just the definition of trustworthy.”

Chan rolled his eyes to the ceiling and rubbed them. They stung from lack of rest. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, however the person didn’t wait for someone to answer and instead just walked right in.

“Hey guys. Changbin texted me what was going on and I thought I’d come over and see how you are doing Chan.” Hyunjin said before wrapping his arms around the older. Chan stumbled a little but kept standing and returned the affection to the younger.

Chan mumbled into the other’s hair, “I’m okay, Hyunjin, just trying not to keel over from Jisung insisting that witches are real.”

Jisung squawked. Hyunjin let go of Chan and looked at Jisung. “Oh, are you talking about Minho’s housemates?” He then grabbed Chan just as Jisung had.

“You know Minho. He’s a dance major just like me. A few years older. Minho and Felix, one of his housemates, are on my dance team. I’ve been over their house after practice a bunch. And they really are witches. I swear I’ve talked to you about them before.”

Chan sat down. He’s never heard about Felix, or this apparent house full of witches before. He used to pride himself in knowing and caring for the younger boys, but these days between working two jobs, classes, and producing he hasn’t been able to keep up. He whipped his head around to stare at Changbin.

“Have you been to the witches too and I’m just a terrible person?”

Changbin frowned and shook his head. “No, but I’ve talked to Minho and I’ve seen Felix, but Chan, you aren’t a terrible person. The sleep is just killing you. I’m surprised you’ve made it this long. How long has it been since your insomnia started? 2 months? And it only seems to be getting worse.”

Chan sighed, and rubbed his eyes again, this time to make sure no tears were escaping his eyes.

“I know. I’m sorry you guys. I didn’t mean to let it go this far. But I can’t really afford to see a doctor right now.”

Jisung kneeled in front of Chan. “But I have a solution! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time. Minho says that usually his housemates have very low costs for potions and charms, they might even do it for free. They may be your best option.”

Chan still felt uncertain, but Changbin placed his hand on Chan’s hair and ruffled it. “Just try it, okay? What’s the worst thing that could happen.”

Standing outside the house right then, Chan could think of a lot of things that could go wrong, of which included being drugged, beaten, kidnapped among others. Chan surprised himself with his own violent thoughts, which had become more common recently. While driving he had thought of hopping the barrier and colliding onto oncoming traffic. He had thought about jumping over the railing of the stair well and just falling. He’d thought of slamming doors on people, throwing things meant to impale, connecting his fist to body parts, and setting things on fire.

He hadn’t told any of his friends about it, but it seemingly got worse with sleep deprivation. Sometimes he felt like he was going mad, but he thought maybe it was just him hallucinating from exhaustion.

Already on edge, Chan just started towards the white gate. However, Chan suddenly collided into someone who was trying to get around him and who Chan, too busy in his head as always, didn’t see. Chan recoiled instantly, the apology flying out of his mouth

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

The man he had bumped into turned to face him, an easy smile on his handsome face. “That’s okay. I should have been looking as well, my bad.” Then the man pointed towards the house and asked, “Were you about to go in?”

Chan looked at the house and sighed. “Yeah, I was just about to go knock on their door.” He bit his lip, suddenly very self conscious, hoping the man hadn’t seen him dawdling around the house for long. “My friend, Jisung, gave me the address.”

The man’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re Chan then.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Woojin, I live here.”

Chan took Woojin’s hand, hoping his own wasn’t too sweaty.

“Nice to meet you. So, you live with Minho, then that must mean you’re a…” Chan couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Woojin’s smile grew, and Chan took notice of the goofy lit to it. Chan was surprised to find himself somewhat charmed by it.

“A witch?” Woojin finished for him. Chan nodded dumbly. “Well, technically, the correct term is warlock. Witches are traditionally used for female practitioners of magic. But most of us don’t really care, except maybe Seungmin. Anyways, would you like to come in?”

Suddenly they were at the front door, even though Chan had no recollection of crossing the front lawn to it. His lack of sleep must have been really getting to him.

Chan agreed, but before Woojin could open the door it flung open by itself. Or at least that’s what Chan thought at first, but then a head popped out from behind it.

“Hey, you’re Chan! Jisung literally talks about you all the time. I mean he talks all the time anyways, but especially about you.” The two boys entered the house and the unknown boy came out to shake Chan’s hand. Chan quickly noted the black cat lounging around his neck.

“Sorry, who are you again?” Chan asked. The boy’s mouth curled mischievously.

“I’m Felix.”

Woojin cut the boy a sharp look. “No, you aren’t, Minho. Don’t be an ass. That attitude is why we keep losing customers.”

Chan looked at the boy again, recognizing this was the man who had Jisung wrapped around his finger. Seems about right.

“Ah, so you’re Jisung’s boyfriend?”

Minho leaned against the wall, hand scratching the cat’s nape. “Boyfriend? Oh, that’s new. I’ll be sure to tease Sungie about that later. But yeah, that’s me.”

Chan laughed. “I almost thought you weren’t real.”

Minho looks at him oddly and said, “Yeah, same here. Every time I went over to your apartment you were either locked away in your room or out working.”

Chan blushed at that. Minho had a very unnerving stare. Not critical, but harshly inquisitive, like he was see staring right into Chan’s soul. Definitely something Jisung would dig.

Chan quickly changed the subject. “Does that mean you’re a witch, too, if you live here?”

Minho laughed through clenched teeth, shaking his head. “Oh, no. I just live here with these freaks. I’m the token normal one.” He said the last part quietly, and then excused himself, saying he wanted to leave Woojin and Chan to their work.

Chan turned to Woojin, an eyebrow raised in a silent question. Woojin shrugged. “Minho’s in denial. Refuses to believe some part of him might be capable of wielding magic, despite the fact that we all know he can. It’s a shame too, because he has such a unique specialization.”

Woojin motioned to the grand staircase, and Chan followed him.

“What do you mean by that?” Chan asked, and then suddenly noticed the largeness of the interior of the house. The stairs seemed to go for four levels despite Chan remembering from the outside it only appeared as a two-story house. Chan decided he only had so much energy, so he decided not to question it.

They came to the second story landing but Woojin kept going. “Witches have knowledge on all aspects of magic, however we like to particularly focus on one. Like myself, I’m very into herbology potions, and spells. Some like charms. Some like fortune telling. Some like astral projection. Minho, however, is born strong in only one aspect.”

They reached the third floor. Chan could smell candles burning. “And what would that be.” He asked.

Woojin looked over his shoulder at Chan, and for the first time Chan saw a smirk cross the boy’s face. Hot.

“Necromancy.”

Chan paused on the stairs, eyes wide, but then sighed and continued. Still something Jisung would be into.

“What about like the supernatural? Like demons and angels and such.”

Woojin stopped at the top of the stairs, his face no longer friendly. Chan stopped in front of him, feeling compelled to face him fully.

“Demonology is complicated and dangerous. The coven had decided when we first formed it would not be practiced within or out of these walls by any member. If that’s what you have come to seek service for then sorry, we won’t be able to help you and you should leave now if that’s so.”

Chan’s eyes widened, and he shook his head quickly. “No, that’s not at all what I’m here for.”

Woojin starred at him, eyes roaming his face, then his body, slowly. Chan felt his ears redden.

“Okay, good.”

Finally reaching the fourth landing, Woojin whipped around and headed for a set of double doors, Chan hot on his heels. He flung them opened, and Chan was shocked to find themselves in what would have been a library if there were books. However, instead of shelves full of novels, they were full of jars, bottles, and plants. The shelves reached the ceiling and spanned three walls, with the fourth wall made up of windows. The air was somewhat humid, but there wasn’t a humidifier in sight. Other than the mess of shelves occupying all available wall space, the room was relatively empty, except for a large table with chairs that was placed at the center of it all.

Woojin made a bee-line for the table and flipped open a large book that Chan hadn’t seen there a second ago. So, there was one book in this this library.

“Okay, so, what can I help you with? Love potion?”

Chan paused his curious gaze roaming the walls. He looked at Woojin to see if he was joking and was met with Woojin’s cheeky smile.

“Uh, ha, no.” Chan said, scratching his head. “I just have really bad insomnia.”

“Oh, that’s easy.” Woojin flipped through the pages of the book quickly, pausing once he found what he was looking for. “Here we go. Let me just grab the ingredients we’ll need for the potion. I would ask you to help but it looks like if you stand on your feet any longer you might collapse.”

Woojin guided Chan away from the shelves filled with glass jars towards a chair.

“Just sit here. I’ll be quick.”

Woojin wasn’t lying, he was quick. He moved around the room with purpose, grabbing leaves of various plants which he put into at pouch and grabbed various jars, placing them all on the table in front of Chan. Many of the jars were unlabeled and filled with fluids of varying colour and viscosity that Chan could not identify. He was amazed how Woojin new what they were.

Woojin startled Chan by placing down a glass container filled with live butterflies on the table. Chan got nervous again.

“Hey, Woojin. Could I ask you a couple questions?” Chan asked, eyes not leaving the jar.

The other man was on a step ladder, reaching up to grab something on the top shelf. “Sure, but only if I get to ask you some questions in return.”

Chan nodded, then cleared his throat and asked his first question. “So, is this for real? Like are you actually a witch?” Chan, realizing his words, blushed hard, hoping the other boy didn’t think Chan was rude.

However once Woojin successfully acquired whatever it was he was reaching for, he looked over his shoulder and smiled warmly at Chan. “Well, sure. I’m not bullshitting you Chan, I really do make potions. I really am going to try to help you. Just because I don’t wear a robe, or a pointy hat doesn’t mean I’m any less legit.” Woojin giggled and Chan’s tension eased.

The young man really didn’t fit the image of a witch with his clean-cut dark hair, wearing jeans, a sweater, and converse. To Chan, he looked like every other university student, but what did Chan know. The only thing he knew about witchcraft was from Wizards of Waverly Place, which probably was not the best source. Interest piqued, Chan hoped Woojin could show him what witchcraft really was.

Woojin placed a couple more things on the table, one of them was furry but Chan tried not to look at it. “Okay, my turn. If you don’t believe in magic,” Chan made a sound to protest but Woojin gave him a pointed look and continued, “Then why come seek my help?”

Chan looked at his hands. “Well, Jisung pretty much begged me after I, uh,” Chan scratched his head, “Fellasleepwhiledriving.”

Woojin’s eyes rose to disappear under his bangs. “Seriously? How do you even do that?”

Chan became flustered. “Well, I was driving late at night down a road I always take, and I was having a really bad day and suddenly my eyes felt so heavy and I couldn’t keep them open and I actually began to drift but no one was on the road so—” Chan sighed. “Jisung and Changbin are right though. I needed to do something, but I don’t really have the money to see a professional, so I thought I’d give this a shot.”

Chan smiled meekly at Woojin, but he seemed to accept the sleep-deprived boy’s explanation with a huff. “Well lucky thing for you, Chan, magic doesn’t care whether you believe in it or not.” Woojin smiled reassuringly at Chan again, and the other boy returned it.

“Maybe if this actually works, I’ll believe,” Chan teased.

“I’ll try my best to make that happen then.” Woojin assured. The two boys smiled at one another, but Woojin broke the moment by gesturing to the mountain of bottles and pouches on the table.

“Now, use what little energy you have left and help me carry all this stuff downstairs where we can continue with this interrogation.”

Chan groaned.

...

Woojin led them to the bottom floor into a very Victorian-styled kitchen that looked worn and used, but clean. Chan loved it, like everything else about the house.

Woojin put a big, black pot on the stove —Chan almost asked if that was Woojin’s cauldron, but he didn’t want to be offensive— and began chopping multiple fruits, vegetables, herbs, plants, and leaves. Chan laid his head in his arms and watched him.

They talked about how they went to the same school; Woojin was in pre-med while Chan studied music production. Chan talked about his rap group, 3racha, and then proceeded to complain about his two bandmembers fondly. Woojin talked about his roommates’ shenanigans, such as Minho’s severe fear of heights that meant he never traveled to the fourth floor of their house. Or Felix who was a little too good with customers and got them to by 8 charms when all they wanted was a tarot card reading. Or Jeongin, the youngest and the prodigy among them, who was still in high school but moved in with them the moment he legally became an adult. Even Seungmin was affectionately talked about, who was technically not a witch, but came from a family of witches and loved witchcraft even though he couldn’t practice.

To Chan, it felt like only minutes passed, but soon he noticed the shadows getting longer and the golden light rays cutting across Woojin, which made the goddamn boy fucking glow. He was surprised but didn’t mind that he spent most of his day with the witch. Eventually, after listening to the older boy chatter on about the new spell he found and watching him dump a whole mickey of vodka in the pot while throwing a wink at Chan, Chan found himself so relaxed he wouldn’t have minded falling asleep right then and there. It was a first time in a while that the younger had felt like that, he just wished he could actually fall asleep.

However, the dreamy atmosphere was interrupted by a deep voice.

“Woojin! Where are you?”

Woojin didn’t even raise his head from the book he was reading or pause his stirring when he yelled back, “Felix, I’m in the kitchen!”

Chan heard foot steps pounding against the wood floor before watching as a young man flung himself through the doorway to the kitchen.

The first thing Chan noticed was the boy’s orange hair, then his large cross earring, and then the fact that he appeared to wear a wizard’s robe which was open to reveal the basket ball shorts and a tank top he was wearing underneath.

The boy, Felix, seemed to be staring right back. “Oh shit, you didn’t tell me you had a customer.”

Woojin waved his hand. “It’s just Jisung’s friend.” Chan didn’t know whether being associated with Jisung was good or bad. But based on the bright smile that appeared on the orange-haired witch’s face, it was definitely positive.

“Ah!” Felix clapped his hands. “You’re the one that can’t sleep. Sungie and Jinnie told me all about it.”

Chan cringed. “Everyone seems to know about that, huh?”

“Yup!” Felix said chirpily. Chan sighed, exasperated, while Woojin chuckled. “But don’t worry you got Woojin helping you. The man’s a genius, as well as super gifted witch. You got the best of the best here.” Felix giggled and patted Woojin’s back as the older witch groaned and buried his face in his hands. Chan couldn’t help but find it adorable.

Woojin grumbled, “Felix. Please ask me what you need and get out.”

Felix furrowed his brow in confusion, and then remembered his original purpose. “Oh yeah. I was just gonna let you know that after dance practice Minho and I are going out with Hyunjin and Jisung. So, we’ll be late getting home.”

Woojin sighed. “Felix, you know you don’t have to tell me every time you go out for the night. You’re an adult.”

“Yeah but every time I don’t tell you it feels wrong. Face it, Woojin, you’re the mom of the group.” Felix grinned widely while Woojin glared at him over his shoulder.

Despite the younger’s amusing antics, Chan realized something and cleared his throat. “Felix, do you always go out after practice with Jisung and Hyunjin?”

Felix nodded. “Yup, almost every time we have practice on the weekend.”

Chan frowned at that. He hadn’t realized how close his friends really were to the witches.

Felix bid his goodbyes, and the two boys listened to him and Minho leave the house with a slam of the front door. They were alone again, but the dreaminess didn’t return.

Chan slowly realized how little time he had been spending with his closest friends over the past couple of months. He couldn’t really remember when the last time was that he went out with any of them. He couldn’t even recall when they had last sat down to play video games or watch a movie. He couldn’t really come up with an explanation why, but he suspected the lack of sleep had being messing with his head a lot more than he realized. But even with his busy schedule, he always had time before for his friends. It seemed like time had been taken from him. Where had his days gone? What had occupied all that free time? Wasn’t sleep. Maybe that will fix everything. Sleep.

With Chan deep in his head and Woojin focused on the potion, the quiet around them had just begun to settle, but was interrupted again when the front door swung open.

“Woojin, I’m home!” A young boy called out. Woojin looked up, his face lighting up with a smile. Chan couldn’t help but stare.

Another boy entered the kitchen, hair a deep red and eyes feline-like with a smile on display. He was wearing a high school uniform and carried a backpack slung over his shoulder.

Woojin said, “Hey Jeongin, this is Chan.” Jeongin’s smile faltered a little when he took in the man sitting at the counter.

“Hi. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Jeongin apologized.

Chan instantly liked the young man. He’d already heard an earful about how wonderful he was from Woojin, but in person he seemed very bright and boyish and— oh my god why does Chan sound like an old man.

Chan couldn’t help but feel his own mouth turn upward. “Nah, you aren’t interrupting anything, Felix already did that.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jeongin took of his bag and plopped it on the counter. As he undid the zipper, he said, “They rushed past me when I was walking up to the door. Felix ruffled my hair and Minho shoved me.”

When Jeongin drew his hand out of his bag, he was holding in his hand a velvet pouch. Woojin’s eyebrows rose at the sight of it, and the alluring bag didn’t escape Chan’s interest either.

“Are you going to do a reading?” Woojin asked, the surprise gone as quickly as it came.

Chan held the question on his face, looking at Woojin then back at Jeongin. “Read what?”

Jeongin produced a deck of cards from the pouch. “You, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Me?” Chan was just full of dumb questions.

Woojin smiled at him and explained. “Jeongin practices divination, like seeing the future and such. His favourite practice is tarot card readings.”

Sure, Chan’s heard about card readings, but he always pictured women in exotic clothing and lots of jewelry in colourful tents, not a teenager dressed in a school uniform. He’s always thought of fortune telling as a huge scam, with vague descriptions that makes anyone gullible enough to believe it’s real and fork over more cash.

“It’s free of charge.” Chan narrowed his eyes at Woojin. He wondered if the boy could read minds as well as make potions. “And he’s really good at it.”

Chan remembered Woojin calling the boy a prodigy, which whatever that means to witches must be impressive.

"Okay, sure, why not.” Jeongin’s large smile reappeared. The boy skipped around the counter and sat across from Chan.

As Jeongin pulled out the deck of cards from the pouch, he asked, “Have you ever had your fortune read before?”

Chan shook his head. “I don’t really believe in magic or any of this stuff.”

Jeongin raised his eyes and joked. “Says the guy getting a sleeping potion from a witch.”

Chan laughed good naturedly. “You got me there but....” Chan started saying, but the rest of his defense died in his throat as he began to watch Jeongin shuffle. The young boy was a master at it, effortlessly moving the cards from one hand to the other. The cards seemed to flow, while at the same time mixing together, effectively shuffling them. Chan wondered if this was part of the trickery behind card reading, but with very little to lose Chan didn’t really care if Jeongin was pulling his leg. He would play along.

“Okay so the way it works is you need to shuffle the cards yourself, since it’s your future we are reading.” Chan does just that, with a lot less grace than Jeongin. Woojin giggled softly when Chan dropped some cards on the floor.

Chan hands them back to Jeongin, and the young witch places the top three cards from the deck face down on the table.

Jeongin pointed at the cards as he explained, “Usually this three-card spread is used for past, present, future. But I like to use it in a different way that I think might help you with your insomnia.”

Chan raised his eyebrows. He knew he looked like shit, but how did the boy know? Chan looked as Woojin suspiciously.

Woojin smirked back and nodded at him encouragingly.

“The first card here tells us about your current situation. The middle card is for the challenges to come. And the last offers guidance when you face those challenges.”

Chan nodded his head dumbly. “Okay, what does the first say?”

Jeongin reached for the first card and flipped it over. On it was a man sitting up in bed, head in his hands. Behind him hung multiple swords.

“The upright nine of swords.” Chan met Jeongin’s eyes and realized the young boy expression changed. His face no longer held his signature bright smile, his eyes serious and concentrated. Chan recognized it because he’d seen himself wear it while producing music. Jisung called it being ‘in the zone.’

“Currently, Chan, you are experiencing a period of deep worry and anxiety. Your thoughts are weighing you down physically and mentally, which is affecting your performance at school, work, and in your personal life. It’s disrupting your sleep. If you were to sleep you’d be plagued by these thoughts as nightmares.”

Chan laughed humourlessly. “Good thing I don’t sleep then.”

Jeongin gave him a pointed look. “In other words, it’s just describing your insomnia.”

Chan pursed his lips. “I guess… that would make sense.”

Jeongin smirked triumphantly. “Want to move onto the second one then?”

Jeongin flipped over the card to reveal a half goat man with wings, a chained woman and man at his side.

“The reversed devil,” Jeongin murmured, eyes furrowed. The boy didn’t say anything for a couple minutes. Chan saw Woojin was also staring quite intensely at the card on the counter.

Worried, Chan asked, “Does it mean something bad?”

Woojin spoke up. “Not necessarily. I think Jeongin’s just a bit confused on what it means.”

“Yeah.” Jeongin scratched his nose as he continued, “Usually the cards correspond with certain meanings. This one usually means there is a confrontation between yourself and your darkest thoughts. To fix this you would need to let go of unhealthy attachments like addiction or low self-esteem. But… there seems to be more going on that I’m not sure about.”

Chan let out a scoff, but internally he couldn’t help but see the connection. _Dark thoughts? As in the weird, violent day dreams he’s had._

Chan felt guilty when Jeongin refused to look at his eyes. He didn’t mean to embarrass the younger. Reaching across the cards, Chan softly placed his hand on Jeongin’s arm.

“Jeongin, it’s okay. Isn’t the whole point of fortune telling is that it is often left ambiguous?”

Jeongin looked up at him, a grimace adorning his face. “I guess, but usually I’m able to pull more details out of the cards. But this one refuses to reveal itself.”

Chan didn’t really understand how cards were supposed to ‘reveal’ themselves, but he had to be honest, he was starting to believe maybe they held some truth to them. Everything that Jeongin had said had connected deeply with Chan, and he was anxious to see what was next.

“So, my challenge is facing my darkest thoughts?” Jeongin nodded. “What’s the next card?”

Jeongin fingered the third and last card and answered. “It’s guidance. Advice for what to do next.”

The young witch turned it over to reveal a structure being hit by lighting, with two figures falling from it.

“A tower?” Chan questioned.

Jeongin lifted it up, facing it to Chan. “Luckily this one is easier to read than the last. The upright tower. Generally meaning chaos, good and bad. You will go through a great change and it will hit you like a bolt of lightning. Hence the lightning striking the tower.”

Chan leaned forward and squinted at the tumbling people. “This looks bad.”

“It could be, it could not be. It all depends on you. But it’ll be difficult, that much I can tell you.” Jeongin shrugged.

“Can it wait until after I get a couple hours of sleep?” Chan whined.

“Speaking of which,” Woojin began as he ladled some of the potion into a glass jar. “I’m pretty much done. Great timing too. Now you can get home, take some of this and get a good night’s sleep.”

Woojin placed the now full jar in front of him. The deep plum-coloured liquid sloshed around inside.

“Now for a little warning.” Chan met Woojin’s eyes with his own wide ones. “Relax. This potion is like medicine. You take the right dosage, and it should work. However, like medicine, there are sometimes unlikely side effects.”

Jeongin sniggered. “Yeah, like this one guy took way too much and his eyes started to rotate—”

“Jeongin!” Woojin shot him a look. Jeongin stopped talking and got up sheepishly.

“I’ll just go. It was nice meeting you, Chan!” Jeongin raced out of the room. Chan wished he could impose that kind of fear on his roommates when he was mad, too.

Woojin sighed. “Anyways, if those occur, contact me immediately. But this potion is quite stable, so you should be fine.”

Chan looked back at the potion in front of him. It seemed so simple, so easy. “So, this will work?”

Woojin smiled at him. “I quite certain it will.”

Chan smiled back. “Then how much do I owe you.”

Woojin shook his head. “Try it out first, then you can repay me. In the mean time, I’ll think about my price.

Woojin walked Chan to the front door, the blue potion in the younger’s hand. Before reaching for the door handle, Chan looked at Woojin again. He hoped this wouldn’t be the last time he saw the witch.

“Thank you.” Chan smiled. Woojin smiled back.

“My pleasure. Bye, Chan.”

As Chan reached the white gate, Woojin yelled at him.

“Sweet dreams!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you've decided to read another one. Thank you! 
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story or even questions! Leave a comment and thanks again!
> 
> Follow me on Twitter at [lovelebinnie](https://twitter.com/lovelebinnie)

When Chan entered his apartment, he noticed that Jisung’s shoes were missing. So Jisung did go out with Felix and the others. Chan felt a little irritated. The younger wouldn’t be here when Chan took the potion despite it being his idea.

Thankfully Changbin was still home. His shoes were at the entrance and he always let Chan know if he was going out. Someone will be home if something goes awry.

At the thought of it, Chan took out the small jar from where it weighed down the front pocket of his hoodie. The dark substance was intimidating, despite it being in just a regular old mason jar. But he trusted Woojin, like a lot, which Chan chalked up to being due to his weak gay heart. No, not only that, but Woojin was so kind and caring. Woojin could not possibly have an inch of evil in him. And if he did, his good looks would made up for it.

After taking off his coat and shoes, Chan made his way to Changbin’s room. He knocked once, but didn’t wait for a response to enter —he’d walked in on some pretty weird shit already, nothing could surprise him now— and found the boy was asleep on his bed, with his laptop still open and headphones over his ears. Chan could see the name of the song that Changbin had been working on, simply named _If._ Jisung, Changbin, and himself had been working tirelessly on their new mixtape for 3racha, and Changbin had fallen behind in producing his solo song. To make up for it, Changbin had shared a couple of sleepless nights with Chan, so the older was glad to see him sleeping.

_I’ll be like that soon too._

At that thought, Chan could feel his heart ache. He looked at the potion again and found himself, despite his earlier stubbornness, really believing that it could cure his insomnia. It was hard not to when Woojin was so certain in it.

Now giddy to try it, Chan shoved open the door to his own room. Not even bothering to change into pajamas or brush his teeth, Chan popped open the lid of the glass container and brought it to his lips. Woojin had said to drink about a quarter of the jar and Chan was careful to do just that, not wanting to see what happens if he were to over do it.

Chan was surprised to find the potion began working immediately. He carefully placed the jar down onto his dresser before he stumbled forward, landing face first into his bed. He’d never experienced such need to sleep before. Even before his insomnia began, Chan often found himself staring at his ceiling for many minutes until his mind and body slowly fell asleep. But this was different, it felt like something had latched onto his mind and was trying to drag him into sleep. At first Chan fought to stay awake and shuffled underneath his blankets. But soon he gave up, too tired to fight, and accepted it. As Chan settled, he let his mind be engulfed by the darkness.

_..._

_Chan’s eyes fling open. He’s met with his cracked ceiling and disappointment. It was still pitch-black outside, meaning he didn’t sleep that long. He can still feel the familiar ache in his body that only lack of sleep gives him. He gets up because he can’t stand laying in bed anymore._

_Out in the hallway he hears faint music coming from Changbin’s room. He steps towards it and realizes he doesn’t recognize the track. It’s a garble of sound, with absolutely no rhythm, very far from anything they’ve ever worked on. The door is a jar and when he pushes it open he finds Changbin sitting up in bed, facing away from Chan. The laptop screen is black, yet music still plays from it. However, Changbin is wearing his headphones over his ears, stock still._

_“Changbin? Are you okay” Chan asks because something doesn’t feel right. When the younger boy doesn’t reply, Chan quickly walks into the room and around the bed, movements earnest._

_However, upon seeing Changbin’s face, Chan backs away. The younger boy is expressionless, eyes wide and pupils blown out so large none of the whites of his eyes are visible._

_“Changbin?” Chan says, again. The other boy doesn’t even blink. “What’s going on?”_

_Changbin continues to stare at him for a few minutes, unwavering. However, as Changbin opens his mouth to respond a spider crawls out, across his face, and into his ear. It happens so quick, but by the time the spider disappears Chan’s back hits the wall behind him._

_“Bin, what the fuck?”_

_Changbin’s lips move but no sound comes out. Chan tries hard to make out the words, but his mind doesn’t seem to want to work. Chan continues to try to figure it out, feeling it a great importance, though Chan isn’t sure why._

_Suddenly, a movement in the doorway catches Chan’s eye. He doesn’t hear footsteps, which is impossible on the squeaky floors of their apartment. Chan doesn’t hesitate to leave the room and looks down the hallway. The light in the kitchen is on. Maybe Jisung just got home?_

_He enters the kitchen and notices Jisung by the doorway. The boy is leaning down to untie his sneakers, but he looks up and meets Chan’s eyes. They both freeze. Jisung’s pupils are just as blown out as Changbin’s._

_“Jisung. Wha—?” But before he can finish asking, Jisung moves quickly towards the door to their apartment. He rips it open and sprints out of the apartment._

_Chan, not knowing what else to do, chases after the boy._

_“Jisung! Wait! Why— Stop!” Chan barely keeps up as the younger boy takes the stairs down three at a time. At the bottom, Jisung swerves towards the emergency exit and doesn’t slow down as he shoves his way through the doors._

_Once Chan breaks out into the cool night air, he finds Jisung crouched beside a dumpster at the back of their apartment building. His hands are over his head and his body shakes as he begs between pants._

_“Please don’t hurt me. Oh my god, please, please!”_

_Chan approaches slowly, not sure why the younger is acting like this._

_“Jisung, Sungie, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Chan takes a step forward, and the younger starts wailing even louder, hands desperately trying to protect himself._

_“No, stop! STOP! Please, please, please, please, please…”_

_Chan backs off, lifting his hands up defensively. When he does something drops from his hands. A lighter, the one he bought a couple nights before, lays at his feet._

_He picks it up and is instantly aware of the weight of it. The urge returns, making Chan sick to his stomach._

_“Do it.” Chan doesn’t have to look over his shoulder to know its Woojin who’s whispering into his ear._

_Chan trembles, feeling his thumb craze over the trigger. He licks his lips. “No, I can’t.”_

_Chan feels Woojin’s breathe on his neck. “But you want to.”_

_Chan feels nauseous because Woojin’s right. He wants to, so badly. But this is his friend, his littler brother. Not a pile of trash._

_Woojin laughs beside him. “Same thing, Chan. Just do it, you’ve been fighting this long enough. And you’re tired, aren’t you?”_

_He is. He wants it to stop, to give in._

_“So why not?”_

_Chan is horrified to find he didn’t have any argument against it. He quickly flicked the spark wheel, the flame coming to life. He began to cry, tears streaming down his cheeks._

_“Jisung, I’m so sorry.” Chan takes one step towards the younger, causing Jisung to begin to wail louder. Chan screams to try to be heard._

_“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Chan repeats as a mantra as he is compelled to approach, no longer feeling in control of his movements. Once he gets close enough, he holds out the lighter towards Jisung._

_“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”_

_The flame leaps from the lighter and lands on Jisung’s shirt. The fire spreads instantaneously, engulfing him in flames._

_The screaming is unbearable, full of pure agony. But Chan can’t rip his eyes away. He screams as well, sobbing loudly._

_Woojin pats his shoulder._

_“You did well.”_

_Chan rips himself out of the other’s grasp and whips around to look at Woojin. But instead, a half-goat, half-man stares back at him, a smile displaying blood-stained teeth._

_“Now wake up, Chan. I’ll see you very soon.”_

Chan woke up with a start, his eyes flying open. He took in a big breath of air, then let it out only to take in another, gulping like he had just resurfaced after being held under water for too long.

“CHAN.” Chan recognized Changbin’s voice without looking at him. Others’ voices rung out too, but Chan ignored them, too preoccupied with the fear that still gripped him and refused to let him go. 

Chan squeezed his eyes shut, the nightmare that had just ended moments ago rushing through his mind again like a sped-up movie, his heart galloping at the same pace. 

Someone touched Chan’s arm. “Chan. Open your eyes.”

Chan let out a gasp. He feared what he might see if he opened his eyes. The last time he thought it was Woojin, he had been wrong.

The hand stayed on his arm, moving slowly. Fingers ghosted Chan’s skin, causing his hairs to stand upright. But the effect was calming, and Chan managed to work his eyes open.

He was relieved to find Woojin leaning over him and not the monstrous thing from his dream. Worry painted the older witch’s face, but his hand squeezed Chan’s arm, comforting.

Lolling his head to the side, Chan took in the room he was in that was, fortunately, definitely not his own. He really didn’t want to be in his apartment after the night he had.

Chan was back in the witches’ library, lying on one of the long benches by the large windows. It must have been the early morning because barely any light shone through the windows, but long shadows appeared on the floor.

The others in the room, Changbin, Jeongin, and Felix, were sitting a respectful distance away, obviously trying to give the older space.

The atmosphere was thick with worry, but Chan felt it was easier to breath. Last night really had been just a dream. Chan knew that, but his body seemed to refuse to believe, heart still threatening to make its own escape out of his chest. Chan couldn’t blame it, he’d like to escape himself and his horrible thoughts as well.

The image of Jisung burning alive popped into Chan’s head, and he sat up quickly. “Is Jisung okay? Where is he? What happened?”

Changbin crossed his arms slowly and frowned from where he was seated a few meters away. Chan avoided meeting the younger’s eyes, a little afraid he’d be met with those dark eyes again.

“Jisung is fine, Chan. He’s at the apartment with Minho,” Changbin whispered. “Why wouldn’t he be okay?”

Chan scrunched up his face and ignoring the question, asked, “Why am I here, though? What happened last night?”

Changbin leaned closer, elbows resting on his knees. His face read worry. “Dude, you were screaming in your sleep. You scared me half to death, and when I tried to wake you up, you wouldn’t. Luckily, Jeongin and Woojin showed up.” Chan then noticed the boy’s messy hair hidden under his beanie and pajama bottoms peaking out from underneath his oversized hoodie.

“And then you brought me here?” Chan questioned and was struck with how tight and raw his throat felt. Made sense after a night of howling.

“I thought it would be best,” Woojin explained. Chan chest filled with gratitude. “I made a potion to counteract the sleep one I gave to you. It looks like something went wrong with it”

Chan was overcome with the dull ache in his body from lack of sleep that was so familiar but nevertheless so frustrating. He didn’t bother to try to fight the defeat bubbling up and let out the tears that followed. He rubbed his eyes to try to hide it from the others.

After a moment of silence, Chan sighed out, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”

The others chorused with reassurances, but it did little to squash Chan’s guilt. Noticing how upset Chan was, Changbin stood up, and walked over to Chan to place a hand on his head comfortingly. Chan refused to look at Changbin, eyes glued to his feet.

Changbin removed his hand from Chan and turned to glare at Woojin. “Are nightmares usually a part of your sleeping potion? Or did you just give him something to fuck with him?” Changbin did nothing to hide the malice in his voice.

Woojin frowned deeply. “I didn’t _fuck_ with Chan, what I gave him was indeed a sleeping potion. But sometimes there are side effects, but usually they are not this violent.”

Changbin was not satisfied with that answer and hissed, “Then why the fuck was Chan screaming about murder, fire, and demon shit then?”

Chan’s stomach threatened to empty itself.

Woojin looked guiltily at Chan. Chan tried to give the other a reassuring smile, after all he really didn’t blame Woojin for what happened, Chan is just fucked up and maybe that can’t be fixed. However Woojin must have saw the tremble in Chan’s smile because his frown only deepened. Chan looked away before his expression broke and more tears fell, but instead reached out to put his hand on Woojin’s. Woojin opened his hand and took Chan’s into his own, giving it a squeeze. 

“I’ve never had anyone react to a sleep potion like this before. This doesn’t make sense,” Woojin muttered.

“Maybe he went too long without sleep? And the dose was too high, so it was like a shock to his body?” Felix implored, speaking up for the first time from his spot sprawled out on top of the work table. The boy was in his pajamas, but still dawned his witch cape.

Woojin shook his head and disagreed, “But that violently of a reaction? Also, he looks exhausted. Maybe someone hexed him?”

Felix’s voice took on a serious tone that Chan hadn’t heard from the young witch before. “I don’t think so. Chan doesn’t seem the type to cross someone. He’s too nice. Chan, have you had anything stolen from you in the past little while?”

It wasn’t a joke, but Chan still laughed. He would say that the lack of shut eye was getting to him, but it seemed like it already had him in its clutches. “Other than sleep and my sanity? No.”

“What would having his stuff fucking stolen have anything to do with Chan getting cursed?” Changbin growled out.

“Not cursed, hexed.” Felix began to explain. “Curses are wishing bad luck on someone, while hexes are more like putting an evil spell on someone—"

“Is that not the same thing?”

“Well, yeah. That’d be like saying its when you mean it’s.”

“But that’s the same fucking—”

“No, it’s not—”

Suddenly, Jeongin who had been silently sitting on the floor, back leaning against the wall, spoke up. “What happened in your dream? What was it about?”

Chan met the younger eyes. He had asked the one question Chan was hoping to avoid. The others heard the question and quieted down to listen. Chan licked his lips.

“It was pretty fucked up.” Chan said hoarsely, then chuckled a little because that was a pretty good summation of how he felt about it. _Fucked up._

Still remembering it vividly, Chan recalled the nightmare, voice gradually getting quieter and quieter, wincing when he mentioned what he had done to Jisung, and stopping after the beast’s words.

“And then I woke up.”

Everyone was silent for a moment until Changbin cleared his throat.

“Oh man, Chan. You know it’s just a dream?” Changbin’s words came out like a question.

Felix snorted and said, “That ain’t no normal dream,” which earned him a glare from Changbin.

Jeongin, ignoring the bickering, asked, “Could you describe the beast?”

Chan did, and Jeongin recognized it instantly.

“The devil!”

Chan panicked. _What the fuck?_

Upon seeing his expression, Jeongin quickly backed peddled. “Like the card, Chan. Your middle card, your challenge was the reversed devil! That’s who you saw.” Jeongin pulled out his deck from his hoodie pocket and quickly produced said card. Sure enough, the beast he saw looked exactly like the goat-man on the card.

“What does it mean then?” Chan looked at Jeongin, who turned his eyes to the oldest witch.

Jeongin said, “You look like you might have an idea Woojin.”

The oldest witch was starring intently at Chan, making the other boy blush. Damn it. Even delirious Woojin was getting to Chan.

“Yeah, I think I do. Jeongin, do you think you could scry tonight?”

The red-headed boy eyebrows rose. “Sure, but I’d need to prepare.”

“Felix, I’ll need you to set up a defensive shield in the living room.” Chan had finally stopped tearing up and met Woojin’s eyes. “Just to make sure it’s safe.”

Changbin looked impressed. “So, you guys are really like witches then.” He pointedly starred at the multi-coloured robe Felix was wrapped in. The witch smirked back.

“Of course, what do we look like to you? Cheap rip-offs?”

Changbin smirked back. “Could’ve fooled me.”

...

Changbin and Chan spent the rest of the day at the witch’s house. Chan had to call in sick to work, which he had never done before and was met with worry from his co-workers. Chan, urged by Changbin, also called Jisung, originally to let him know what was going on. But when Jisung picked up Chan couldn’t bring himself to and instead blurted that Chan and Changbin would be out all day shopping. Chan was quite vague with the details, but to his relief, Jisung didn’t seem to notice the lie and instead said it was okay because he and Minho had plans anyways. Chan ignored Changbin’s reprimanding look and told Jisung to have fun, finding he meant it. Chan didn’t want to ruin Jisung’s day and worry him.

The two stayed clear of the witches’ ways, who were busy preparing for that night. When Felix walked by with a bucket full of frogs, Changbin shot Chan a questioning look. Chan was too tired to be curious, so he only shrugged.

Soon the sun set and Woojin came into the room, his signature kind smile proving to be a small relief for Chan. “We’re ready.”

The witches had converted the parlor into a fortune teller’s wet dream. The room was covered in draping silks of rich colours and candles were placed on every available surface. The only space that was left untouched was the center table surrounded by plush sitting chairs.

“This is often where we meet with customers to do readings or seances or, for Minho, talk shit with our regular clients.” Woojin explained.

Felix walked the edge of the room, checking every corner for the protection charms he had placed.

“Jeongin uses this space the most. He does the majority of card readings and communicating with spirits because that’s his specialty,” Felix said.

Jeongin smiled brightly as Chan sat across from him. But Chan focused on the burning wicks of the candles.

“So,” Jeongin started. Chan dragged his eyes away from the flame to look at the young witch. In between them was a bowl of water. “I’m gonna scry tonight. Do you know what that is?”

Chan gave him a look. Jeongin chuckled sheepishly. “Ah, well, basically it’s a way for me to focus on my second sense by using a reflective object, such as, a bowl of water.”

Changbin was also sitting in on the session. He sat on an old paisley-patterned chair, legs throne over the arms. “Like your third eye and shit, right?”

Jeongin nodded and blushed. Chan raised his eyebrows at Changbin. “Wow. Look at you, knowing your witchcraft,” Chan joked.

Woojin sat down beside Chan, thighs touching. Chan tried not to think about it too hard.

“The room has been prepared. We are ready to go.” Woojin turned to regard Chan seriously. “This could get a little uncomfortable, so if you ever want to stop let us know.” Chan gulped.

“Okay.”

“Chan.”

Chan turned his attention to the younger witch looking across from him.

“What I am about to do could be quite invasive. I may see things you wouldn’t want me to see. Do you trust me enough to let me do it?”

Chan was taken aback by the sudden realized seriousness of it. But he found he trusted Jeongin fully.

Chan smiled at the younger.

“I trust you, Jeongin.”

Jeongin smiled, shoulders relaxing a little. “Okay then. Relax, open up your mind, and let me in.”

Jeongin turned his gaze to the water. Silence followed, everyone waited. Chan wasn’t sure for what until about seven minutes later Jeongin began to speak.

“Chan. You’ve been working two jobs, juggling six university courses, and trying to start a music career? No wonder your exhausted.” Chan was surprised. How did the younger know all that?

Changbin looked cross at that and glared at Chan. Chan gave him a sheepish smile.

“Two jobs? Don’t tell me you’re back at Brian’s. You told me you quit working at his bar. Those night shifts were killing you.”

Chan sputtered, “We needed the new studio monitors. We’ve been waiting for months and we couldn’t wait until it went on sale next month.”

Changbin looked quite upset at that. “Brian’s is trash though, you always get hit on by old creepy dudes. Missing the deadline would have been better.”

Brian’s bar really was not that bad. Brian was an old pal of Chan’s, they had met when Brian’s band performed at the same gig as 3racha. When Chan was desperate for money a couple of years ago he asked Brian if he needed any new bartenders. The drunk assholes and hours sucked, but Brian was always reasonable, and the tips were great. It messed Chan up bad though, and Changbin and Jisung had talked him into quitting after he had gotten sexually harassed by someone and had to fend them off. Crying and with a broken lip, Chan had agreed. But he had found himself a couple months later going back when his day job had cut his hours suddenly. He’d only been able to keep it a secret from the other’s by hiding and avoiding them.

Jeongin spoke up again, interrupting the tense air. “You’ve been having some thoughts. Sorry, that’s really vague. I mean, like, your thoughts have been different than usual. Dark and violent. Lots of times towards yourself, sometimes others.”

Chan felt eyes turn to look at him and he moved his gaze down to his hands to avoid them. Suddenly, Woojin’s hand appeared and engulfed his own. Chan was thankful and squeezed Woojin’s hand.

“Sometimes you act on those feelings. You set a small fire beside the garbage bin behind your building.”

Changbin raised his eyebrows. “That was you?”

Chan remembered that night vividly. He was getting home from a shift at Brian’s in the early morning, totally drained. The impulse came to him easily, and at that time he didn’t have the strength to fight it. He saw the bag of trash and took out the lighter he had a bought from a corner store earlier that night and without a second though, lit it ablaze. He had quickly realized what he’d done and scuttled away, dropping the lighter as he fled.

Chan licked his lips and murmured. “Yeah, that was me. Sorry.”

Changbin sighed, obviously baffled but not wanting to get into it.

“Jeongin, can you focus on the source of the thoughts?” Woojin asked. The youngest witch’s eyes remained unfocused, but his brow furrowed a little.

“Those thoughts all have the same feeling to them. Little hints of something, but I can’t find where they are coming from? Like they just popped into Chan’s head out of no where?” Jeongin attempted to explain.

Chan eyes widened with the explanation and agreed. “That’s what it feels like.”

Woojin widened his eyes as well and squeezed Chan’s hand. “Like they aren’t your own?”

Chan jerked his head up to meet the other’s eyes. “Yeah! They never seemed like my own.”

“And these only started a couple months ago?” Woojin asked.

“Yes, when I started working late.”

“How were you doing around then?”

Chan scrunched his nose. “Not well. Tired all the time. I also got sick as well, the flu. But I kept going to work.”

Chan noticed the look on Woojin’s face and asked, “Why Woojin? What’s up?”

Woojin shook his head and said, “I think I know what’s going on with you, Chan, but I need Jeongin to confirm because if it’s what I think it is—”

Suddenly, the creak of the front door was heard, anything but subtle, followed by chatter. Jisung and Minho’s voices floated towards them.

Chan’s heart sped up, palms getting sweaty.

“Jisung,” Chan gasped out. The image of Jisung on fire flashed through Chan’s mind again like a firecracker. Chan jerked away from Woojin.

Jisung must’ve heard because the two went silent. “Channie?” Foot steps followed, coming towards the entrance of the parlor. Chan panicked and called out.

“No! Stop! Don’t come in!”

The footsteps stopped, but Jisung called out. “Chan, wha—”

Jeongin, who has been focusing quietly on the bowl, jerked. “The feeling is getting stronger! I can kind of make out an image—”

“Jisung, please just stay there,” Chan begged, panic crawling up his throat.

Jisung spoke worriedly, “Chan are you okay? Why are you here?”

Changbin got up from his spot to rush over to Chan but he didn’t even notice. Chan was busy reliving the dream repeatedly as it continuedly played itself over and over in his head. Except, as he continued to remember it, the memories changed. Other things begin to catch on fire. The large garbage bin beside Jisung. The door. The staircase. Jisung’s shoes when he goes to put them on, so he has to leave them behind. Changbin. Chan wakes up in a burning bed. The whole building is up in flames. He looks into the face of the beast, who remains untouched, but there seemed to be fire in his eyes. It smirks, clearly enjoying itself. Chan felt himself catch on fire and screamed.

“CHAN! I’M COMING IN.” Jisung rushed into the parlor, Minho hot on his heels just as Chan convulsed onto the ground in pain.

Woojin hurried to the youngest witch to urge him out of his trance. “Jeongin! Stop, Jeongin! Stop!”

It took a couple of seconds and a shake of his shoulder for Jeongin to finally rip his eyes away from the bowl. He came up gulping for air. His frame began to shake.

The pain left Chan right away, the image taking longer to fade. Jisung reached out for Chan, but when he touched Chan’s face, the older pulled away as if he was being burned.

Jisung grimaced and took a step back. He whipped around looking at the other’s, searching for an explanation.

Minho was the first to speak up. “What the fuck was that?”

Woojin rubbed soothing circles on Jeongin’s back as the boy leaned into him, body still shaking like a leaf. No one gave an answer willingly.

Minho, noticing the spilled bowl of water, answered his own question and sat down beside Jeongin. Minho placed a hand on Jeongin’s thigh and asked, “Jeongin, what did you see?”

Jeongin let out a breath of air and turned his head to look at the others but didn’t release his grip from Woojin’s shirt.

“Lots of pain and agony. Viciousness? And so much fire.” He shuddered again, and then said. “It comes from within Chan. Not Chan himself, but something alien that’s taken up residence in his body.”

Felix looked astonished and breathed out, “Wrath?”

Woojin sighed but didn’t look surprised. Instead he calmly said, “Someone call Seungmin. He needs to come over immediately.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter! Thank you for reading! 
> 
> I am thinking of making this into a series. I already have ideas for 3 other stories, each one focusing on the other ships. But it'll take me a while to write those. I really enjoy this concept though so I can't wait to get started! 
> 
> Thanks again! Leave a kudos or a comment! Enjoy!
> 
> Follow me on Twitter at [lovelebinnie](https://twitter.com/lovelebinnie)

The next morning Chan and Woojin were in what slowly was becoming Chan’s favourite room in the house, the kitchen. Their original purpose was to make breakfast, but laziness motivated them to instead just sit at the counter and talk quietly to one another, which was Chan’s preferred activity anyway. Both were wearing pajamas —Chan had borrowed Woojin’s and he had never felt so nervous to put on basketball shorts and an oversized hoodie before— even though neither of them had slept a wink. The two had stayed up all night watching anime.

Chan felt guilty. He could see that Woojin was tired, the boy was slumped in his chair, hand holding up his face, eyes closed. He looked pretty then, hair rumpled and stubble growing out, but Chan wished the boy had just slept.

“Hey.” Chan whispered, and Woojin’s eyes blinked open. Woojin hummed.

Chan, with his head laid down on the cool counter but still turned towards the witch, apologized, “I’m sorry for making you stay up all night with me.”

Woojin frowned. “You didn’t make me do anything.”

Woojin was right. The night before they all had decided to call it a night after the card reading ended because Jeongin had passed out from over-exerting himself and it had been getting late. But the thought of sleep had terrified Chan, and he must had shown that fear on his face because Woojin had crouched down in front of him, a dazzlingly smile on his face, and had asked, “Wanna stay up all night and watch anime with me?” Chan thought he had died and went to heaven.

Chan had still been afraid that he would drift off to sleep during the night, but Dragon Ball Z and Woojin’s arm casually thrown behind Chan’s head had proved to be effective.

Chan shrugged and mumbled, “You just look tired and I feel bad.”

Woojin snorted. “I’m pre-med remember? I’ve done quite a few all-nighters in my time.”

Chan was too tired to giggle, but he smiled a little. “I almost forgot you are. So, Mr. Doctor, what’s your record for going without sleep then?”

Woojin grinned back and bragged, “Three days straight.”

Chan scoffed. “That’s pretty good but doesn’t beat mine.”

Woojin scrunched up his nose and admitted, “I don’t know if I wanna know your record.”

“You really don’t”

Woojin laid his head down as well so his eyes could meet Chan’s. “Must’ve sucked though,” the witch murmured, his arm muffling his words.

Chan’s smile faded, and he scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, it did.” That didn’t even begin to describe it.

To change the subject, Chan quickly asked, “It’s almost noon. Where could the boys be?”

Woojin accepted the change in subject and smiled into his arm. “Hyunjin just answered your call two hours ago. They should be here soon.”

Seungmin had been called the night before, but because he didn’t have a car and it was so late, they had decided to call Hyunjin. The boy had an old car that he had gotten from his grandmother that permanently smelled like cigarettes and cats. But Hyunjin had not picked up.

“He’s probably out cold. He went pretty hard tonight.” Minho had explained with a grin. There would be no hearing from him until the next morning. Luckily, Hyunjin did pick up when Chan called and had promised to be over immediately, which for Hyunjin, must have really meant hours later. 

Just then, the slamming of a door echoed through the house. Stomping quickly followed, and a grumpy Changbin entered the kitchen. He marched over to the counter and slammed his closed fist on the counter.

Changbin announced, “I fucking hate Felix,” before opening his hand and placed a frog in front of Chan and Woojin.

Upon his name being said, Felix glided into the room with his signature cape bellowing around him, beaming. Changbin clenched his fists so hard that Chan was worried he’d slam them down and squash the small creature. Chan moved the frog out of harm’s way.

“Frogs are good luck. I was just helping you to dispel the negative energy you hold.” Felix explained, taking the frog from Chan. He cradled it in his chest.

Changbin grumbled, “Don’t you think putting 50 in my bed is a bit excessive?”

Felix held up the frog to Changbin, who flinched away. “Not with the amount of negative energy you have.” The innocence in his voice made Chan laugh and Changbin glower. Chan knew that Changbin would not snap at the innocent boy.

Woojin chuckled. “Maybe putting you guys in rooms beside one another wasn’t the best idea.” Felix pouted at that, but Changbin grunted in agreement.

Changing the subject before Changbin grabbed the frog from Felix’s hand and threw it at a wall, Chan said, “Is Jisung up yet?”

Changbin shook his head. “Neither him or Minho have left Minho’s room. They are both probably sleeping off their hangovers.”

Jisung had tried to talk to Chan the night before, so many questions on his lips. But Chan couldn’t face the younger right then, and as much as the hurt that had crossed Jisung’s face killed him, Chan had grabbed Woojin’s hand and fled. 

The others had probably explained to Jisung already what was going on, but Chan knew he should speak to him himself. And say what, Chan wasn’t sure. The thought of having to explain his dream made him want to empty his stomach. Chan was glad he didn’t have breakfast yet.

Luckily, their conversation was interrupted by the creaking of the front door. Hyunjin arrived, wide eyed and bushy tailed, with a sleepy boy and sustenance in tow.

“We’re here! Sorry, when I knocked on Seungmin’s door he was still asleep, and it took me almost breaking down his door to wake him up.” Hyunjin placed the coffees down on the table and everyone in the room pounced on them.

Seungmin, said sleepy boy, slammed the pile of books he was carrying in his arms on the table. “I stayed up all night doing research.” That was apparent, the young boy’s brown hair was a fluffy mess and his circle glasses that were slightly skewed.

A door could be heard opening somewhere in the house followed by a padding of feet. Jeongin entered the kitchen and flung himself at Seungmin, wrapping his arms around him. Whether to give the young man affection or to keep him from hitting the floor, Chan wasn’t sure.

“Morning, Minnie.” Jeongin mumbled into the boy’s shirt.

Seungmin accepted the hug happily, patting the younger’s head. “Good morning. You look like you slept well.”

Jeongin released Seungmin and took a seat beside Chan. “I did. I got up when I heard you come in. What did you find?”

Seungmin picked up the book on the top of his pile and flipped it open to a page he had dog-eared and began to read. 

“Wrath. A type of demon classified as one of the seven deadly sins due to its affinity towards pain and violence.”

Changbin lifted his eyebrow. “Wait, so we really believe that Chan is fucking possessed by a bitch from hell?”

Seungmin did little to conceal his annoyance at the interruption. “I sure hope you believe or else you wouldn’t need me, a demon hunter.”

Hyunjin, who hadn’t been told that the cute, grumpy boy that he had picked up hunted the super natural, gaped at Seungmin.

Chan groaned. “Binnie—"

Changbin continued, “What I mean is how can we be sure there isn’t a simpler explanation?”

Seungmin pushed up the glasses on his nose. “Chan, when did the insomnia start?”

“When I started working nights again at the bar,” Chan answered

“You weren’t getting a lot of sleep, right? And working yourself until you’re exhausted?”

Seungmin said it without judgement, but Chan couldn’t help but felt embarrassed. He nodded.

“Do you remember anything weird happening at the bar one night. You would have interacted with someone. They likely cut you.”

Chan scratched his head. Working at the bar was less exciting than what people thought. Most of shifts consisted of cleaning and making drinks, and he did a majority of it in a tired stupor, causing the nights to blend together. However, Chan was surprised to find a specific memory pop into his head.

“Uh, yeah. Someone dropped their glass. I don’t remember much but like a dumbass I leaned down and grabbed the shards with my hand. I bled quite a bit, it was a mess, but the cuts healed fine.”

Seungmin’s eyes widened and he quickly grabbed another book and began flipping through it quickly while he muttered, “They must have collected the blood...”

Upon Seungmin’s lack of clarification, Woojin stepped in to explain. “Demons can’t exist on earth without a host. It’s likely that someone chose you as one.”

Chan eyes widened. “But why me?”

Felix spoke up. “You were in a weaken state, therefore easy prey. They probably thought the demon would easily slip into your body, but for whatever reason it didn’t.”

Seungmin added, “The blood is used to call the demon to you, like a targeting system. Also, the glass must have been filled with a possession potion. When the glass cut Chan, the potion entered his blood and he bled out, which can then be collected. Cleverly done.” Seungmin scanned the notebook in his hand and then scribbled something down.

“But why did the possession not totally work?” Jeongin asked. 

Seungmin frowned, tapping the pen against his lips. “Not sure. It’s definitely an anomaly.”

Felix turned to look at Chan as he giggled, “Seem like you’re bit of an irregularity, Chan. You’d fit right in with us witches.” Chan didn’t know how to feel about that.

Changbin raised his hand as if in class. Felix cooed. “So, wait, how would possession work?”

Seungmin picked up another book. “Wrath would use Chan’s body as a vessel and he would seek to cause physical pain of others. It’s what he feeds on.”

Jeongin clapped his hands together and excitably voiced, “That’s why Chan’s thoughts were so violent. Wrath was still in Chan’s body and couldn’t fully possess him but could still influence his thoughts. I felt him as the source of Chan’s negative energy while scrying.”

Chan, finally catching on, asked, “So that’s why my dream was so terrible? The demon did that?”

Woojin nodded. Chan let out a sigh of relief. That means the nightmare wasn’t from his own thoughts. To make them stop he must have to get rid of the demon then.

“So how do we get rid of the demon?” Chan asked.

Seungmin didn’t stop writing in his notebook, but simply said, “We send it back from where it came from.”

“How do we do that?”

Seungmin finished writing his sentence and slammed his book closed. “I have it figured out, but I’ll need everyone’s help.” He looked at the witches in the room. “Will you help me? I know coven rules, but this would be the best place to conduct the banishing.”

Chan had seen only, albeit tired, confidence from Seungmin and this was the first time he’d seen Seungmin look unsure. Woojin had told Chan about the coven’s ban against demonology the other day.

Jeongin and Felix looked at Woojin, who didn’t hesitate a second before saying, “We will help any way we can.”

Seungmin smiled brightly, looking the most awake Chan’s seen since he met him. “Great! We need to get started preparing.” Seungmin pointed at Hyunjin. “You. You got a nice pair of arms, want to help me?”

Hyunjin looked stunned but nodded dumbly.

“Okay then, Hyunjin and I will go out and get the materials we need while you guys work on the summoning circle. We’ll start the actual banishing ceremony at 12. During witching hour, naturally.”

Changbin snorted. “Naturally.”

With that, the witches began to move. Seungmin dragged Hyunjin to the door, and the others dispersed, now knowing what they need to do to prepare for that night.

Something worried Chan though, and he approached Woojin before the older witch could leave.

“Woojin.” The older stopped when Chan placed his hand on his arm. Chan licked his lips and waited for the others to leave the room before continuing. “The other day you said the coven wouldn’t practice demonology. I don’t—”

Woojin, always seemingly knowing what Chan was thinking, interrupted. “We are going to make an exception.”

The explanation did little to quell Chan’s confusion. “But when you told me about it you seemed dead serious. You said it was dangerous, I don’t want to—"

Woojin grabbed Chan’s hand, causing butterflies to erupt and effectively shutting Chan up. “Things have changed. The situation has changed.”

“How? In what way?”

Woojin stood silent for a second, looking intently into Chan’s eyes before speaking softly, “Since the definition of a witch is so broad, really anyone who has a touch of magic running through their body can be one. Therefore, our coven isn’t one made by blood, we chose to be together, so we choose when we let others in. And Chan, you have a little magic in you, and it’s not just because you got a demon in you.”

Chan could feel the heat in his cheeks. He hoped the hand Woojin was holding wouldn’t get sweaty.

“And what is a coven if we don’t protect our own. So, we care about you. At least,” Woojin’s smile got shyer and Chan wanted to scream, “I do.”

Chan felt his chest warm. That felt nice. “We met two days ago,” Chan mumbled.

Woojin chuckled, “It’s been a long two days, don’t you think?” Chan giggled and nodded his head. They swung their hands together as they stood there for a minute in comfort. But then Woojin pulled away, releasing Chan’s hand.

“I have to go help now. You rest, you’ll need it for tonight.” Chan nodded, and he smiled at Woojin’s back as he walked away.

Chan wasn’t sure how he should feel. Excited? Scared? He just knew he wished he and Woojin could go back to earlier that morning, both enjoying their quiet morning. It had been the first morning he had that wasn’t filled with dread after another sleepless night.

Chan remembered the third card Jeongin had shown Chan for his reading. The tower. The lightning strike. The two people falling from it. He hoped he’d be the only one falling.

...

It was a little after eleven at night when Chan was finally allowed into the attic of the house, which was, like everything else in the house, surprisingly large. It could have been a loft bedroom; however, it seemed the witches were not using it. It was completely empty except for the cobwebs and dust.

But now some of the dust from the ground had been clear away and replaced by chalk lines.

“So, what you are telling me is we need to bait the demon out of Chan?” Changbin questioned, disbelieving. While the other boys had been discussing the plans for summoning, Chan was kept downstairs. They were unsure to what extent the demon was aware of what was going on around Chan and weren’t taking any chances. They had finally let Chan into the attic, but it seemed like the discussion was not over yet. Midnight was coming soon, they were running out of time.

Seungmin, with his glasses gone from his face but face still in his notebook, was busy going through a checklist. He didn’t stop his jotting as he explained, “Yes, that’s what I am telling you. The demon in Chan is no ordinary creature, it’s old and therefore wise. It probably already knows what we are trying to do and will want to stay in Chan where it is safest. We need to entice Wrath with more than a couple of mean words to get him to come out.”

“What kind of bait are we talking about here? I have a couple of goats in the garage we could use.” Felix suggested, busy lighting the candles that littered the ground, the glow of them making his orange hair seem like it was on fire.

Others were busy finishing setting up as well. Jeongin and Minho were on their knees, hands white from the chalk they were using to draw on the floorboards. As Chan got closer he could make out what it was, a pentagram encased by a circle. 

Seungmin sighed and stopped his writing. “That’s not what I really had in mind.” At his tone of voice, all eyes turned to the hunter, who’s eyes were on one person.

Minho stood up quickly and snapped, “No fucking way.” Chan suddenly wanted to run. Escape.

“Think about it. He makes the most sense. Based on Chan’s dreams, the demon has focused on Chan’s feelings for Jisung,” Seungmin argued.

Chan watched Minho march over to the far corner of the room, where Chan knew Jisung stood, but couldn’t bring himself to look. Chan locked himself in Woojin’s room the whole day, he still had not had to face Jisung.

Despite Seungmin’s logic, Minho was stubborn. “I still can’t fucking agree to put Jisung in danger.”

Jeongin spoke up and reasoned, “But Seungmin is right, Minho. Jisung makes the most sense. During the scrying session, it was Jisung that made Chan react so violently.”

Chan could feel eyes on him, but he ignored them in favour of running his eyes over the lines of the summoning circle.

Minho, with no where else to turn, whined to Woojin. “You can’t possibly agree with this.”

Woojin, who Chan was beginning to realize must be the leader of their coven, glanced around the room, met Chan’s gaze for a moment, then turned back to Jisung. Woojin sighed before speaking up, “If Jisung agrees to be the bait, then I think it might be our best bet.”

Chan’s eyes darted towards Jisung then and found himself meeting Jisung’s for the first time in a while. The boy looked rough, with messy hair and red eyes, teeth nervously working at his chapped lips. Jisung seemed to be looking for something from Chan, but Chan had nothing to give him.

The blond boy must have found something because he ignored Minho shaking his arm and mumbled, “I’ll do it.”

Chan finally found his voice, “Jisung—” He was about to move to the younger but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“It’s almost midnight,” Woojin said apologetically. “We need to start now.”

Chan squeezed his eyes closed, the weight of it hitting him hard. He could feel the panic rising, and the tremble of his hands soon followed.

“How do we do this then,” Chan stammered.

Seungmin explained, “You have to let Wrath possess you, that way we can communicate with him. Right now, your sub-conscious is fighting him. But you’ll have to stop and give in.”

“Okay,” Chan nodded, then asked. “And how do I do that?”

Jeongin spoke, “I think you have to focus on your violent impulses. Give into them.” Chan’s heart raced, the worry of what he might do strong.

Chan agreed, “Okay, but you’ll have to tie me up then.” That seemed to surprise because everyone stopped what they were doing, but Hyunjin silently moved towards Chan with a rope in his hand. After he bound Chan’s arms behind his back, Hyunjin moved Chan to stand in the middle of the circle.

“Alright then.” Seungmin moved to stand in front of Chan. His face looked determined, which gave some comfort to Chan. At least one of them was optimistic. “Let’s begin.”

Chan watched the four witches and Changbin move so that each one of them stood at one of the five corners of the pentagram. Hyunjin moved Jisung so that they stood out of the circle, but Chan could see them in his line of sight. The bait was set.

The others began to chant, words in a foreign language that Chan could guess was latin. The room seemed to darken, and the chalk lines gleamed in the candle light. Chan was glad his hands where bound or they would have shaken uselessly at his side.

“Chan,” Chan focused on the young hunter in front of him. “Don’t worry, we will take care of everything. Just let go, and I’ll see you when this is over.”

Seungmin held Chan’s gaze fiercely, but Chan still saw the boy’s fear. But there was also determination despite it, and Chan felt it easy to put his trust in the boy, like he had with Woojin and Jeongin before. Seungmin was ‘in the zone.’

Chan closed his eyes and let the thoughts always nagging at the back of his head come forward. They were upsetting, thoughts of attacking Seungmin, knocking over the candles and setting the house ablaze, going after Jisung, and then jumping out of the attic window and to his death.

Before when these thoughts came up Chan pushed them away, but this time Chan held on to each one, relishing in the horror of them, the pain, the twisted freedom the fantasies brought. He drew out each fantasy fully, watching himself draw blood and feel the warm wetness of it. Feel the heat of the flames. The air flying past him as he rushed to meet the cold, hard ground.

Suddenly, Chan’s eyes flung open. But it wasn’t Chan who had willed them to. It had only taken moments for Wrath to fully possess Chan.

Chan’s lips moved and spoke, “I told you, Chan, we’d meet very soon.”

The chanting around them stopped and silence fell. Chan tried to will his body to move, for his thoughts to be spoken into words.

Chan felt his lips curl into a smile. He spoke again, “You have no control over this body, Chan. It’s mine now. But I do enjoy your struggling, so please keep going.”

“Wrath.” Seungmin called. Wrath snapped its mouth shut and brought his attention to the human before him. The demon smiled appeared again.

“Oh, demon hunter. I don’t say this often but thank you for your help. I’ve been stuck in Chan forever, it’s nice to smell some fresh air.”

The demon shifted his gaze over Seungmin’s shoulder to something behind him.

“Ah, Jisung. Nice to see you. The last time I saw you, you were burning to death.”

Jisung was stunned. The thing looked and sounded like Chan, but the expression and way it spoke was all wrong.

“Wrath,” Seungmin tried to return the demons attention back to himself, and when it didn’t work he stepped into his line of sight. “Try to stay focused for a second.”

The demon continued starring in the same direction, as if looking through Seungmin and still at Jisung.

The demon made a noise of annoyance. “Get on with it, hunter. What do you want?”

Seungmin smirked. “Aren’t you in a predicament.”

The demon finally moved his eyes to meet Seungmin and growled, “What are you talking about?”

Seungmin continued, “You’ve possessed Chan, but I’m sure you now realized his body isn’t in the best shape after fighting you for so long. His body with fade quickly, and you’ll end up back in hell very soon. And then you’ll have to start your process all over again. What a waste.”

Wrath scowled. “I have a witch that’ll help me return to this mortal plane so don’t worry about me.”

“The witch that helped you last time?” Seungmin asked, faking innocence. “Well, I tracked her down this afternoon. Found her body in the alleyway beside her apartment. Seemed like she had a lot of money she owed people and the demon that promised to help her didn’t get there in time. So there goes that.”

The demon frowned deeper and tested the strength of the rope. Sure enough, Chan could feel his body was no where near strong enough to break the restraints.

Wrath hissed out, “What do you want, then?”

Seungmin leaned closer. “Let’s make a deal.”

Behind Seungmin, Jisung began to shake. Jeongin, who was closest to him, tried to comfort him.

“Jisung, remember what Seungmin said. You have to keep it together.” 

The whispering going on behind Seungmin didn’t escape the demon’s attention. He turned his head in a curious gesture. “So, you’ll let me out and what?”

“I’ll send you back to hell. Seems better than wasting your time in a rotting body.”

The demon grimaced. “That’s pretty painful.”

Seungmin leaned in closer. That seemed to piss off Wrath even more. “I know.” They starred at one another for a few seconds, and then the demon smiled.

“Okay. Fine. Deal. Let me the hell out of here.”

Seungmin looked up at Woojin and nodded. The boys standing on the points joined hands and began chanting again. The demon caught Jisung’s gaze. Its smile grew.

Seungmin spoke out to Hyunjin and Jisung. “Step back and watch out.” Then Chan felt the most excruciating pain and started screaming.

Pained sounds clawed out of Chan’s throat, his head thrown back in agony. His body shuddered and violently jerked, trying to escape the pain. It felt as his head was being ripped apart.

The boys faltered their chanting briefly but kept going. Now that they began there was no going back.

The screams were so terrible that they caused Jisung to tear up. His heart broke at his friend’s agony and he couldn’t stop his body from shaking or the tears from falling.

After what seemed to be forever, a sudden gush of air escaped Chan, throwing everyone back. Chan’s body went slack, and he hit the ground unconscious. An apparition floated just above them. Half-man, half-goat, all red. It wasted no time before it darted towards Jisung.

“Hyunjin! Now!”

The boy moved fast and passed something to Seungmin. The demon hunter unsheathed it and stepped in front of Jisung and held out the sword in time to swing it. A ground-rattling scream resounded from the falling head of the demon and the rest of the apparition went up in flames, burning and turning into ash. It rained down on the nine boys, like snow.

It was over.

... 

_One week later_

The house looked mostly the same. Same sashed windows, rocking chair on the wrap-around porch, and white picket fence. Except now Chan noticed the chips in the paint of the white gate. The weeds growing through the cracks in the walk way up to the house. The creak of the wood planks as he stepped up onto the porch. However, Chan still felt the same endearment as he did before for the old house.

Chan knocked on the door. He half-expected the door to swing open again, and to see a smirking Minho behind it, but Minho was out with the other boys to see the new exorcist movie. Chan and Woojin had declined because the former had enough of demons and the latter had school work to catch up on.

Chan tried the door, wondering if Woojin had left it open for him, but the knob didn’t budge. Suddenly, he felt his phone buzz and pulled it out to answer it. It was Woojin.

“Hello? Woojin? I’m at the door but it’s lo—”

“It should be unlocked now. I’m upstairs, so come on up,” the witch on the other end instructed before promptly hanging up leaving Chan slightly frazzled. Chan tried the door again and sure enough, it opened. Chan was sure it was locked before but decided to just chalk it up to be some witch bullshit and hurried inside.

Chan took the stairs two at a time until he reached the top floor, where the only light in the house was emitting from the library.

Woojin was there, sitting at the big table in the middle of the room, books spread out in front of him. He was so focused on his laptop, he failed to notice Chan crossing the room towards him until it was too late.

Chan wrapped his arms around Woojin’s neck from behind his chair, placing his chin on top of the other’s head. Woojin didn’t jump from Chan’s surprise embrace and continued typing. Woojin was clearly in the middle of writing a paper, so Chan waited for Woojin to finish typing out his thoughts before letting out a breathy, “Hi.”

Woojin, seeming comfortable with their positions, only moved to give Chan’s arm a squeeze.

“Hey. Ready to spend an exciting night watching me finish this bitch of an assignment,” Woojin joked. Chan reluctantly let go of Woojin and took the seat beside him.

“That’s okay. I was just going to, like, work on beats or do some work for my production course,” Chan said while plopping his own school bag on the table. Pulling out his laptop, he continued, “But thanks for inviting me over. I’m so used to Changbin and Jisung clinging to me every second of the day for the past week. After I forced them to go out and leave me, I realized that I didn’t actually want to be alone.”

Woojin didn’t speak for a moment and Chan thought he had gone back to totally focusing on his paper, until he asked, “So everything is going well then? Especially with Jisung?”

Chan nodded his head. “Oh yeahQ We talked it out pretty well after I woke up after the exorcism. Things got pretty fucked up, I really got into my own head and thought he hated me because we spoke so little before. And then I guess to cope I pushed him away. There was a lot of crying and apologies, but everything is good again. It takes a lot more than a fucking demon to break up 3racha.”

Chan grinned widely but felt a little like crying. The past week hadn’t been easy. Chan only woke up after sleeping for 24 hours straight. He was met with a lot of worry, apologies, and affection. Chan felt better, but at the same time he still felt like a mess. He’s been on the verge of tears all week, and sometimes he let them slip out. But he was supposed to be better, so he tried to keep them in.

Woojin hummed and kept typing, but Chan didn’t even make a move to open his laptop. Instead, the blond asked, “So, how’s the coven? I heard from Jeongin there has been a new addition.”

Woojin smiled and responded, “Then you know Seungmin is moving in?”

Chan smiled too. “That’s so exciting! I guess the rules have changed then?”

Woojin shrugged and responded, eyes still on his laptop. “Kind of. Seungmin is not allowed to really practice here for safety reasons, but it should still work out. As you know, demon hunting is dangerous as fuck. Living with us means I can keep an eye on him and make sure he’s safe.”

Chan watched a smile blossom on Woojin’s face, and Chan felt himself grow happier for him. Woojin’s family was complete, and Chan had his family back together. It felt right.

The two boys lapsed into silence, and Chan finally opened his laptop to do some work. He slipped on his earphones and quickly got absorbed into the music streaming through them. However, despite the heavy base and mechanical noises (Jisung had sent him a song composed entirely of sounds he had made with various objects he had found in their kitchen), Chan’s eyes drifted shut and felt the darkness pull him in but was too exhausted to fight it off.

But as soon as Chan closed them, his eyes flung open again. His body had slouched forward, and he quickly straightened himself, hoping Woojin hadn’t noticed.

“Did you enjoy your three seconds of microsleep?” Woojin asked casually. Well, shit, seemed like he had.

Chan rubbed his eyes and sighed. “What do you mean?”

Woojin shrugged, still focused his laptop. Chan sighed, and explained himself anyways.

“Sorry, sleeping still isn’t the easiest.”

Woojin looked away from his screen for a second to meet Chan’s eyes, which made Chan’s heart pick up, before returning to his screen and nodding. Chan didn’t continue to explain, not wanting to disturb the other. Instead his gaze travelled around the room, his interest in his work completely gone.

His eyes were drawn to the busy shelves, still confused on how Woojin knew the differences between the unlabeled containers, especially when vodka and bleach were kept in very similar looking bottles and sitting right beside each other on their shelf. He spotted some movement, and his eyes were drawn to a large glass jar filled with live butterflies. They reminded him of the first day he met Woojin, and suddenly he remembered something.

“Hey Woojin.” Chan mumbled, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “You still need to collect something.”

Woojin lifted his eyebrows and stopped typing to look at Chan with a questioning expression.

Chan giggled, “I have to pay for your services. You said you’d decide later but now that the services include sending a demon back to hell it should be a pretty penny.”

Chan actually really hoped that it wouldn’t be a pretty penny because he really didn’t have that much money, but he hoped Woojin might ask for something different.

Woojin laughed, but argued, “You shouldn’t have to pay. My potion traumatized you.”

Chan nodded his head slowly, agreeing. “It doesn’t have to be money, though. Maybe something else?” Chan looked up from his hands which were busy cracking his knuckles —a nervous habit— to meet Woojin’s gaze. Woojin moved to shut his laptop while maintaining eye contact. To say Chan was nervous was an understatement.

Woojin whispered, “Chan. You know what I want from you?” Chan was still reeling from the way the witch said his name when he nodded eagerly.

“I want you to go see a doctor about your insomnia.”

Chan’s eyes widened. That wasn’t what he expected.

“Oh. I- Uh…” Chan ran his hand through his hair, quite flustered by the sudden change in tension. Man, Woojin was hard to read.

Woojin quickly backpedaled, “Oh shit. Sorry. That was kind of out of no where, huh?” Woojin chuckled and Chan couldn’t help but let of a few breathy laughs of his own.

Woojin continued, “But yeah, out of everything I want, you getting better in the most important.”

Chan scrambled for words. “I know I’m not sleeping, but still it’s only been like a week!”

Woojin shook his head and insisted, “It’s clear from the microsleeps you are still suffering.”

Chan diverted his eyes to his hands and blurted, “The what?”

“I think you know what that means,” Woojin said, looking at Chan directly but with kindness. “You have told me you have looked up the symptoms of insomnia. Seems like you are still experiencing them.”

Chan felt the shame colour his cheeks. He didn’t mean to play dumb, but sometimes that was the easiest way to avoid topics. He also didn’t mind listening to Woojin explain things to him in his soft voice.

Woojin asked, “It hasn’t gotten that much better has it?”

Chan snorted humourlessly, “What do you mean? The sleeping or the intrusive thoughts.”

“I think,” Woojin turned in his chair to fully face Chan and the blond boy was helplessly drawn to the other again. Curse Woojin’s good looks. “Wrath worked as a catalyst and amplified all your bad thoughts, which led to the lack of sleep and violent thoughts. Now he’s gone, but you’re just so used to thinking and acting in that way you can’t stop.”

Chan frowned deepened, and the familiar pressure of anxiety filled his head. “But can’t you just give me a potion and it’ll fix me?”

Woojin sighed and placed a hand on Chan’s hand. He hadn’t realized they were shaking.

Woojin explained, “Potions are temporary solutions. They don’t solve anything, they are just quick and easy, but have their own consequences. It can’t replace seeing a doctor.”

Chan sighed, but understood Woojin’s logic. Magic had only given him trouble anyways.

Woojin slid his fingers to thread them with Chan’s. Chan was surprised to not find himself giddy at the act, but instead finding comfort in it. He squeezed Woojin’s hand, Woojin squeezed back. And then Chan realized something.

“This was always your plan, right? I would have come back the next day after the sleeping potion worked to ask about your price, and you would’ve told me the same thing.” Chan said, in awe at the man beside him.

“Yup, I only gave you enough to last a few nights, so you’d have no choice.” Woojin smiled. Chan gasped and hit the others arm.

“You’re cunning. But also, very good. Like chaotic good. Must be the witch in you.” Chan said, giggling. Woojin smiled back and swung there hands together.

Woojin said, “I’ll help you look for someone to treat you, too. So you can get better. I’ll help you the best I can.” Chan felt he believed the other boy and knew the other had never given him a reason not too. Suddenly, overcome with gratitude, Chan thanked the witch.

“Thank you. Seriously. For everything. Not only for me, but the others too. I’m not kidding when I say you’re good, because you really are.” Chan hoped the other could feel the sincerity in his words. Woojin must have because his smile was so big it caused his eyes to crinkle. They stayed like that for a couple moments, just holding hands and smiling stupidly at one another until Woojin spoke.

“The day after you took the potion I was also going to ask you something else.”

Interested piqued, Chan patted the other’s boy hand and asked, “Oh, what’s that.”

“Oh, I was going to ask you out. Like on a date. Or stay in and watch anime, Jisung had told me you loved that. Honestly, I’ve been interested in you since Jisung showed me a photo and talked about you.” Woojin finished rambling. Chan was left shocked again.

Woojin smiled at Chan’s pout. He asked, “Would you have said yes?”

Chan laughed. “Woojin, I’m pretty sure you can read me like a book or maybe it’s your witch-y powers, so you know what I would have said.”

Woojin grinned, and Chan was starstruck. Chan realized the other boy was leaning closer, and the short space between their chairs meant Woojin was hovering quite close to his face in no time. Chan’s eyes were drawn to the other’s mouth first, then he dragged his gaze over Woojin’s strong jaw, smooth cheeks, and landed on his eyes.

Chan thought he felt anxious, but soon realized what he really felt was excitement. He'd been so used to the underlying feeling of worry with every decision he made that he had mistaken his feelings. But now he was certain of what he wanted and didn't hesitate to close the distance between himself and Woojin.

Woojin leaned in to meet him and their lips touched for only briefly before they parted. A sweet, quick kiss that meant the world to Chan.

However, Chan didn't fully pull away and froze in his position, eyes trained on Woojin's mouth and a pout to his lips. He couldn't stop running the feeling of the other boy's lips against his own lips through his head.

Woojin smiled at the other's expression and guessed what he was thinking. "You want another one?"

Chan nodded quickly and leaned back in to receive another kiss. And another. And another.

Soon, the two boys weren’t pulling away, their lips moving slowly with shyness and care. Woojin’s hand came up to cup Chan’s face, and his other found a place on Chan’s thigh. Chan neglected to move his own hands from where they were grasping the side of the chair and only noticed when Woojin pulled a way a little to whisper between pants, “Please… Touch me.”

With new fervour, Chan pressed their lips together harder and slid his hands up Woojin’s arms to his wide shoulders where he alternated between running his hands through the witch’s hair and squeezing his shoulders. Woojin matched Chan’s pace, and apparently deciding they weren’t close enough, pulled the other onto his lap. Chan threw his legs over the other’s thighs and then, high off the adrenaline and endorphins, licked into Woojin’s mouth eagerly. 

At one point, Woojin snuck a hand under Chan’s shirt and trailed his fingers across his stomach, causing Chan’s skin to flinch from sensitivity. Woojin’s big hands on him felt so good, however he wanted to touch Woojin’s skin as well, but it was too difficult in their positions.

“Woojin.” Chan gasped out, and Woojin moved to kiss him on the neck and collar bone. Chan craned his head back, enjoying the peppering of kisses on his skin. For a second, he forgot what he was going to say, but then he remembered and whined, “We need to move so I can touch you better.”

Woojin ran the tip of his nose up Chan’s throat before planting a kiss on Chan and lifting Chan up and onto the table. He then took his time moving his books and their laptops, putting them out of harms way. Chan watched the other, and if he wasn’t already as turned on as he was, he’d still find the other’s restraint hot. Once the final book was out of the way, Woojin stepped in between Chan’s legs and began kissing him again.

Chan was happy to be able to slide his own hand under the hem of Woojin’s shirt to touch his warm skin, so giddy he squeezed Woojin’s hips with his legs. Woojin chuckled into Chan’s lips and then pressed Chan down onto the table. Chan squeaked a little in surprise when Woojin crawled up onto the table and hovered over Chan.

Woojin’s hair was fucked, but it didn’t take away from the handsome smile on his face. “You okay?” He asked.

Chan realized he must’ve looked pretty out of it, so he smiled back and said, “Yeah, absolutely.”

Woojin frowned a little. “You’re shaking. Are you sure?”

Chan laughed, ignoring the embarrassment he felt and instead grabbed the back of Woojin’s neck to guide the witch to him. Chan intensely kissed Woojin for a second before letting go to mumbled, “I’m just excited is all.”

Woojin’s smile returned at that and then he said, “Well I guess it wouldn’t help if I did this then.” And then proceeded to pull shirt off over his head.

Chan’s eyes flew to the other’s naked torso but didn’t get much of a look before Woojin was all over him again. By the end of the make out session, Woojin had a hickey blooming on his left pec and Chan’s shirt was pushed up to his armpits. Chan complained that the table was to hard on his back so the two moved to Woojin’s room where they ended up lying on Woojin’s bed, side by side, hands entwined and talking.

They stayed like that for hours and Chan would have wanted to go on all night —now that he was wired and there was no way in hell he’d be able to sleep then— but the other boys returned from the movie, walking through the door loudly chatting and laughing. The two boys reluctantly got up.

“Oh, I forgot Chan came over.” Felix said, who was for once not wearing his witch robe. Jeongin moved to give Chan a hug and flung himself so hard the witch almost knocked the boy over.

Chan then noticed the empty container in the Jeongin hand and whined, “You guys got frozen yogurt without us?”

Minho smirked at Woojin knowingly and began to explain, “Well, Woojin texted me and said to stay out later to give him and you time to—” but he was cut off by Jisung who saw Chan and Woojin’s linked hands and yelled, “Oh my god! Did you guys finally get together?”

Chan smiled shyly and nodded his head. Hyunjin whooped while Changbin scowled and asked, “When the fuck?”

Seungmin, who didn’t look at all surprised, sighed and turned to look at the other’s and asked, “Would you like to stay the night? It’s late and there’s more than enough room in this giant-ass house.” Chan was reminded that this was Seungmin’s house too now. He looked at Woojin who looked back at Chan with an encouraging smile and squeeze of his hand.

Chan looked back at Seungmin and said, “Sure, if you don’t mind that would be great.”

The boys all cheered and excitedly began to decide to sleeping arrangements when Woojin leaned down towards Chan and muttered, “I’d never mind you staying over.” Chan laughed as Woojin cringed at his cheesy words. Chan reached up to give Woojin a quick kiss and then dragged Woojin with him towards the living room where the boys had decided to make a pillow fort.

Chan knew not everything was perfect, there was still a few kinks they all had to work out. But Chan was willing to keep trying, even with the side effects. Because what was life without a few of those.


End file.
